J2S 


A   SKETCH 


OF    THE 


LIFE  AND  PUBLIC  SERVICES 


WILLIAM  H.  HARBISON, 


COMMANDER  IN  CHIEF  OF  THE  NORTH  WESTERN  ARMY, 
DURING  THE  WAR  OF  1812,  &c. 


HARTFORD: 

PRINTED  BY  J.  B.  ELDREDGE. 
1840. 


A   SKETCH 


OF    THE 


LIFE  AND  PUBLIC  SERVICES 


OP 


WIL.L.IAM  H.  HARRISON, 


COMMANDER  IN  CHIEF  OF  THE  NORTH  WESTERN  ARMY, 
DURING  THE  WAR  OF  1812,  &c. 


HARTFORD: 

PRINTED  BY  J.  B.  ELDREDGE, 
1840. 


WILLIAM   HENRY   HARRISON 


THE  prominent  position  now  occupied  by  General  Harrison 
before  the  American  people,  renders  it  peculiarly  proper  that  a 
brief  sketch  of  his  life  and  public  services  should  be  laid  before 
his  fellow-citizens ;  for  although  his  public  acts,  both  in  a  civil 
and  military  capacity,  have  been  tor  the  lasting  glory  and 
honor  of  our  whole  country,  yet  in  consequence  of  his  having 
resided  for  the  greater  part  of  his  life  among  the  patriotic  and 
chivalric  inhabitants  of  the  Western  States,  they  are  more  fa 
miliar  with  his  history  than  those  who  reside  in  the  East  and 
North.  It  was  this  acquaintance  with  the  man,  or  rather — to 
make  use  of  the  endearing  appellation  by  which  he  has  been 
universally  known — it  was  this  acquaintance  with  the  Wash 
ington  of  the  West,  that  has  there  produced  such  a  general 
and  ardent  feeling  in  his  favor  ;  that  the  people  have,  in 
despite  of  party  dictation,  borne  him  triumphantly  along,  for 
the  highest  office  in  their  gift,  until  there  is  now  no  doubt  but 
be  will  be  elected  by  a  most  decisive  majority. 

It  will  be  apparent  that  our  efforts  to  compress  the  materials 
of  his  eventful  life,  in  the  compass  of  a  few  pages,  has  com 
pelled  us  to  omit  all  those  minute  illustrations  of  particular 
tacts,  which  have  in,  reality  given  to  his  life  all  the  beauty  of 
romance.  To  see  a  youth  of  eighteen  years  of  age,  leaving 
his  kindred,  and  friends,  and  paternal  roof,  and  inspired  by  a 
lofty  patriotism,  marching  into  the  savage  wilderness,  and  bat 
tling  with  the  enemies  of  his  country ;  and  then  in  8  few  years 
to  find  him  in  the  councils  of  the  nation,  exerting  himself  to 
promote  the  civil  institutions  he  had  so  gallantly  defended  in 
the  field;  and  then  again  leading  the  armies  of  our  country  to 
victory  at  the  dreadful  midnight  conflict  of  Tippccanoc,  and 
at  the  hard-fought  siege  of  Fort  Mcigs,  and  the  still  more 
brilliant  victory  of  the  Thames, — togetlier  opens  a  field  for 
meditation,  which  it  is  impossible  to  express  in  the  few  pages 
we  have  devoted  to  the  history  of  his  life.  To  have  pursued 
a  subject  of  this  kind  in  all  its  details,  would  have  been  grate 
ful  to  our  feelings,  but  the  brevity  of  our  plan  will  forbid  it. 
We  must  leave  the  reader  to  fill  up  for  himself  the  many  omis 
sions  we  are  compelled  to  make. 


M179657 


We  ought  to  state  that  this  compilation  is  principally  taken 
from  the  valuable  and  authentic  history  of  Me  Affee  on  the  late 
Avar,  and  from  the  excellent  biographical  works  of  Dawson 
and  Judge  Hall. 

William  Henry  Harrison  was  born  in  Virginia  on  9th  of 
February,  1773.  His  father,  Benjamin  Harrison,  was  one  of 
the  patriots  of  the  Revolution.  He  was  a  very  distinguished 
member  of  the  first  congress  of  the  United  States,  which  met 
at  Philadelphia  in  1774,  and  was  one  of  the  most  conspicuous 
of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  He  after 
wards  rendered  important  services  to  his  country  by  his  ener 
getic  and  patriotic  measures  as  governor  of  his  native  state, 
Virginia.  This  eminent  patriot  died  in  1791 ;  leaving  his  son, 
William,  under  the  guardianship  of  his  friend,  the  celebrated 
Robert  Morris. 

Young  Harrison  was  educated  at  Hampdcn  Sydney  College ; 
and,  by  the  advice  of  his  friends,  turned  his  attention  to  the 
study  of  medicine.  But  about  the  period  when  he  had  com 
pleted  his  education,  soon  after  the  death  of  his  father,  the 
increased  and  barbarous  hostilities  of  the  Indians  on  our 
northwestern  borders,  began  to  excite  a  feeling  of  indignation 
throughout  the  whole  country.  In  this  general  excitement 
our  young  student  participated  so  warmly,  that  he  resolved 
to  relinquish  his  professional  pursuits,  and  join  the  army  des 
tined  to  the  defence  of  the  Ohio  frontier. 

The  war  in  this  part  of  our  country  was  then  assuming  a 
very  alarming  aspect.  The  Indian  tribes,  who  had  been  in  the 
service  of  Great  Britain,  during  our  revolutionary  struggle, 
had  not  yet  laid  down  the  tomahawk  ;  but  still  persisted  in 
their  ruthlqps  hostilities,  and  in  the  almost  daily  commission 
of  their  savage  atrocities.  From  the  year  1783,  when  Great 
Britain  acknowledged  our  independence,  and  war  with  the 
mother  country  ceased,  up  to  the  year  1791,  it  was  estimated 
that  more  than  fifteen  hundred  of  our  hardy  borderers  had 
fallen  victims  to  the  rifle  and  scalping  knife  of  their  savage 
iocs.  Our  northwestern  frontier  presented  an  appalling  scene 
of  rapine,  conflagration,  and  wanton  destruction  of  life  and 
property.  Many  of  our  border  settlements  had  been  crushed 
in  their  infancy,  and  all  had  been  retarded  in  their  growth. 
Expedition  after  expedition,  fitted  out  to  oppose  them,  had  met 
with  the  most  disheartening  losses ;  and  finally,  a  gallant  army 
under  Brigadier  General  Harmer,  which  had  been  sent  ex- 


pressiy  to  chastise  these  savages,  had  been  signally  defeated 
by  them,  and  almost  annihilated.  Of  the  few  experienced 
officers,  who  escaped  from  Harmer's  defeat,  nearly  all,  worn  out 
with  the  fatigues  of  a  service  so  harrassing,  and  shrinking  from 
a  warfare  of  so  dangerous  and  barbarous  a  nature,  had  re 
signed  their  commissions ;  and  a  feeling  of  dismay  began  to 
pervade  the  whole  community. 

Such  was  the  gloomy  aspect  of  affairs,  when  the  ardent  and 
generous  patriotism  of  young  Harrison  prompted  him  to  give1 
up  the  comforts  and  luxuries  that  surrounded  him  at  home, 
and  peril  his  life  in  defence  of  his  fellow-countrymen. 

He  received  the  commission  of  an  ensign  in  the  United 
States  artillery,  in  the  autumn  of  the  year  1791,  when  only 
eighteen  years  of  age  ;  and  hastened  immediately  to  join  his 
regiment,  which  wras  then  stationed  at  Fort  Washington.  He 
arrived  at  that  post  a  few  days  after  the  unfortunate  defeat  of 
General  St.  Clair,  near  the  Miami  villages,  by  the  confederated 
Indians  under  the  command  of  the  celebrated  chief,  Little 
Turtle.  This  disastrous  defeat,  in  which  St.  Glair's  army 
was  destroyed,  with  the  loss  of  nearly  a  thousand  men,  killed 
or  taken  prisoners,  left  the  whole  of  our  northwestern  frontier 
exposed  to  the  ravages  of  a  merciless  enemy,  and  added 
greatly  to  the  general  consternation  before  existing. 

In  this  state  of  things,  our  government  saw  the  necessity  of 
adopting  immediate  and  efficient  means  to  put  an  end  to  this 
savage  conflict.  Another  army  was  promptly  raised,  and  the 
command  given  to  General  Anthony  Wayne — a  gallant  and 
skilful  officer  who  had  earned  a  brilliant  reputation  in  the 
Revolutionary  War.  Wayne's  Legion,  as  his  army  was  called 
in  the  new  organization,  assembled  at  Pittsburg,  in  the  sum 
mer  of  1792;  and  in  the  ensuing  month  of  November,  the} 
left  that  place,  and  went  into  winter  quarters,  at  Legion ville. 
en  the  Ohio,  22  miles  below  Pittsburg. 

About  this  time  Harrison  was  promoted  to  a  lieutenancy ; 
and  shortly  after,  he  joined  Wayne's  Legion.  His  fearlessness 
and  energy,  with  his  strict  attention  to  discipline,  soon  attract 
ed  the  notice  of  his  commander-in-chief,  himself  a  bold  and 
daring  soldier  and  a  rigid  disciplinarian  ;  and  General  Wayne, 
not  long  after  his  arrival,  selected  him  as  one  of  his  aids-de 
camp,  at  the  age  of  nineteen. 

We  have  entered  thus  minutely  into  this  detail,  because  we 
wish  to  point  out  at  how  early  an  age,  and  in  what  trying 


6 

limes,  young  Harrison  was  thought  worthy  of  honorable  dis 
tinction. 

Lieutenant  Harrison  acted  as  aid  to  General  Wayne  during 
the  whole  of  the  ensuing  campaigns  ;  and  his  bravery  and 
gallant  conduct  throughout  were  such,  that  he  was  repeatedly 
officially  noticed  in  term  sof  the  highest  encomium.  The  war 
was  conducted  by  General  Wayne  with  all  the  cool  daring  of 
a  veteran  soldier,  and  the  sagacity  of  a  prudent  General — until 
finally,  on  the  20th  of  August,  1794,  he  fought  the  bloody  and 
desperate  battle  of  the  Miami,  in  which  the  confederated  In 
dians,  with  their  allies,  were  totally  defeated.  Their  heavy 
losses  in  this  battle  so  disheartened  the  Indians,  that,  a  few 
months  after,  they  entered  into  negotiations  for  a  treaty  of 
peace,  giving  hostages  for  their  good  faith — and  thus,  with  the 
c.lose  of  this  war,  were  extinguished  what  may  be  considered 
the  last  embers  of  our  revolutionary  struggle.  In  his  despatch 
to  the.  Secretary  of  War,  after  this  decisive  victory,  General 
Wayne,  in  mentioning  those  wrhose  good  conduct  made  them 
conspicuous  on  this  occasion,  says — "  My  faithful  ami  gallant 
aids-de-camp,  Captains  De  Butts  and  T.  Lewis,  and  LIEUTEA- 
V.\T  HARRISON,  with  the  Adjutant-general,  Major  Mills,  ren 
dered  the  most  essential  service,  by  communicating  my  orders 
in  every  direction,  and  by  their  conduct  and  bravery  exciting 
the  troops  to  press  for  victory." 

Soon  after  this  battle,  Lieutenant  Harrison  received  the 
commission  of  a  captain,  and  was  placed  in  command  of  Fort 
Washington — the  most  important  station  on  the  western  fron 
tier.  He  remained  in  the  army  till  the  close  of  the  year,  1 797, 
when,  as  there  was  no  longer  an  opportunity  to  serve  his 
country  in  the  field,  he  resigned  his  commission,  to  commence 
his  career  of  civil  services.  He  was  almost  immediately  ap 
pointed  Secretary,  and,  ex-officio,  Lieutenant-Governor  of  the 
Northwestern  territory ;  which  then  embraced  the  whole  ex 
tent  of  our  country  lying  Northwest  of  the  Ohio  river — thus 
receiving  his  first  civil  appointment  in  that  part  of  our  coun 
try  which  he  had  periled  his  life  to  defend. 

While  in  this  station,  he  entered  so  warmly  into  the  inter 
ests  of  the  people,  and  his  intelligence  and  the  kindness  and 
urbanity  of  his  manners  rendered  him  so  popular,  that  when, 
in  the  following  year,  they  became  entitled  to  representation  in 
the  councils  of  the  nation,  they  almost  unanimously  elected 

?i!Vft  jBrlff  IU    I»    £    .  >J5  i'B     "/HBO  V<  )£     JO 


him  their  first  delegate  to  Congress.     Mr.  Harrison  was,  at 
this  time,  about  twenty-six  years  of  age. 

He  took  his  scat  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  at  the  first 
session  of  the  sixth  Congress,  in  December,  1 799.  There  were 
then  in  Congress  some  of  the  ablest  and  most  enlightened 
statesmen,  and  some  of  the  most  eloquent  men,  our  country 
has  ever  produced.  Yet  in  this  severe  ordeal,  the  abilities  and 
manly  energies  ot  Mr.  Harrison  soon  commanded  universal 
respect.  At  this  period,  the  all-engrossing  subject  in  the  West, 
and  one  in  which  our  whole  country  had  a  deep  interest,  was 
the  sale  of  our  public  lands.  The  manner  in  which  these  lands 
had  been  hitherto  disposed  of,  had  created  great  dissatisfaction 
among  the  people.  They  had  been  sold  only  in  large  tracts  ; 
the  smallest  of  which  included,  at  least,  four  thousand  acres. 
Our  hardy  yeomanry,  with  limited  pecuniary  means,  were 
thus  shut  out  from  all  chance  of  competition  with  wealthy 
speculators  and  grasping  monopolists,  in  the  purchase  of  these 
lands — the  poorer  emigrants  were  becoming  disheartened  at 
the  chilling  prospects  before  them,  and  the  settlement  of  the 
new  country  was  greatly  retarded.  Fully  aware  of  the  im 
policy  and  injustice  of  this  state  of  things,  and  true  to  the  trust 
confided  in  him,  Mr.  Harrison's  earliest  legislative  efforts  were 
made  to  overthrow  this  pernicious  system.  He  aroused  the 
attention  of  Congress  to  the  consideration  of  this  important 
subject,  and  evinced  so  intimate  an  acquaintance  with  the 
facts  and  business  details  connected  with  it,  that  he  was  ap 
pointed  chairman  of  a  committee  raised  to  examine  into  and 
report  on  the  existing  mode  of  disposing  of  the  public  lands. 
After  a  proper  investigation,  he  presented  a  report,  accompanied 
by  a  bill,  the  principal  object  of  which  was  to  reduce  the  size 
of  the  tracts  of  public  land  offered  for  sale,  to  such  a  smaller 
number  of  acres  as  would  place  them  within  the  reach  of  ac 
tual  settlers.  This  masterly  report,  which  was  the  joint  pro 
duction  of  himself  and  Mr.  Gallatin,  together  with  the  great 
ability  and  eloquence  with  which  he  defended  his  bill  from  the 
powerful  opposition  it  encountered  in  the  House,  gained  Mr. 
Harrison  a  reputation  rarely  attained  by  so  young  a  states 
man.  The  bill  was  carried  triumphantly  in  the  House,  and 
finally,  after  some  amendments,  passed  the  Senate.  The  re 
sult  was,  that  the  public  lands,  instead  of  being  offered  only  in 
large  tracts,  of  which  four  thousand  acres  was  the  smallest 
size,  were  now  to  be  sold  in  alternate  sections  and  half  sect- 


— the  former  containing  640,  and  the  latter  320  acres 
each.  The  point  gained  was  of  immense  importance,  since, 
from  the  low  price  of  these  lands,  and  the  small  amount  oi" 
purchase  money  required  to  be  paid,  they  were  now  within 
the  reach  of  nearly  all  the  poor  emigrants  and  actual  settlers, 
who  felt  a  natural  desire  to  own  the  fee  simple  of  their  homes, 
and  of  the  lands  they  subdued  from  the  wilderness.  Thou 
sands  of  the  hardy  and  industrious  farmers  of  our  Northern 
and  Middle  States,  and  many  of  the  poorer  planters  of  the 
South,  availed  themselves  of  the  fair  field  which  was  now 
opened  for  emigration  and  enterprise  ;  and  \ve  may  justly 
consider  this  happy  result,  which  Mr.  Harrison  was  so  instru 
mental  iii  producing,  as  one  of  the  leading  causes  of  the  rapid 
settlement  and  prosperity  of  our  Western  country. 

In  the  year  1800,  the  Northwestern  territory  was  divided. 
That  part  of  the  old  territory,  included  within  the  present 
boundaries  of  Ohio  and  Michigan,  retained  its  former  name ; 
and  the  immense  extent  of  country  Northwest  of  this,  was 
made  a  separate  territory,  and  received  the  name  of  Indiana. 
Soon  after  this  division  had  taken  place,  Mr.  Harrison  resigned 
his  seat  in  Congress,  and  was  appointed  Governor  of  the  new 
territory.  This  appointment  gave  great  satisfaction  to  the 
people  of  Indiana,  with  whom  the  patriotic  exertions  of  Mr, 
Harrison  had  rendered  him  deservedly  popular ;  and  it  was,  at 
the  same  time,  the  strongest  evidence  of  the  confidence  with 
which  the  General  Government  relied  upon  his  integrity,  pru 
dence,  and  capacity  for  civil  government. 

The  extent  of  Indiana  was  almost  boundless.  The  small 
population  it  then  contained  \vas  thinly  scattered  through  a 
vast  wilderness,  and  only  three  settlements  of  any  note  existed 
within  its  territory.  One  of  these  was  at  Vincennes,  the  capi 
tal  ;  another  at  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio,  one  hundred  miles  dis 
tant  from  Vincennes  ;  and  the  third  was  on  the  Mississippi,  at 
a  distance  of  more  than  two  hundred  miles  from  the  capital. 
The  communication  between  these  remote  points  was,  at  all 
times,  difficult  and  toilsome,  and  often  attended  with  great  dan 
ger.  There  existed  no  practicable  roads,  and  nearly  all  the 
intermediate  country  was  occupied  by  the  Indians,  or  overrun 
by  their  hunting-parties.  Most  of  those  savage  tribes,  though 
professing  to  be  friendly,  were  restless  and  dissatisfied ;  and 
their  leading  chiefs  still  nursed  a  moody  hope  of  revenge  for 
the  mortifying  defeat  they  had  sustained,  six  years  before,  at 


9 

the  battle  of  the  Miami.  Artful  and  treacherous,  numerous, 
warlike,  and  thirsting  for  plunder,  they  kept  this  remote  fron 
tier  in  continual  excitement  and  alarm.  The  angry  feelings  of 
our  hardy  borderers  were  frequently  roused  by  some  robbery 
or  atrocious  violence  committed  by  the  more  evil-disposed 
among  their  savage  neighbors,  and  quarrels  often  ensued, 
which  threatened  the  peace  of  the  whole  community. 

Such  was  the  existing  state  of  things  in  Indiana  Territory, 
when  Mr.  Harrison  was  appointed  to  the  administration  of  its 
government.  As  Governor  of  a  frontier  territory  so  peculiarly 
situated,  Mr.  Harrison  was  invested  with  civil  powers  of  the 
most  important  nature,  as  well  as  with  military  authority. 
Besides  the  ordinary  powers  which  he  held,  ex  officio,  as 
Governor,  he  had  the  sole  power  of  dividing  the  district  into 
counties  and  townships,  and  was  appointed  the  general  super 
intendent  of  Indian  affairs.  He  had  likewise  the  unusual  pow 
er  of  conferring  on  a  numerous  class  of  individuals  a  legal  title 
to  large  grants  of  land,  on  which  they  before  held  merely  an 
equitable  claim.  His  sole  signature  was  sufficient,  without 
any  other  formality,  to  give  a  valid  title  to  these  extensive  and 
valuable  tracts  of  land.  Possessed  of  this  immense  power, 
opportunities  were  continually  before  him  of  accumulating  a 
princely  fortune  ;  but  the  scrupulous  sense  of  honor,  which 
has  always  characterized  Mr.  Harrison,  would  never  permit 
him  to  speculate  in  lands  over  which  he  had  any  control.  And 
it  is  a  fact  worthy  of  note,  that  during  the  whole  time  that  he 
held  this  important  trust,  he  never  availed  himself  of  his  pecul 
iar  advantages  to  acquire  a  single  acre  of  land  ; — no  shadow 
of  suspicion  ever  doubted  his  disinterestedness,  and  not  a 
murmur  ever  accused  him  of  partiality,  or  even  of  unnecessary 
delay,  in  the  performance  of  this  delicate  duty.  We  mention 
this  only  to  show,  that  the  integrity  of  Mr.  Harrison  is  not 
merely  theoretical  but  practical ;  and  that  it  has  always  shone 
with  the  purest  lustre  when  assailed  by  the  strongest  tempta 
tions. 

In  1803,  Mr.  Jefferson  appointed  Governor  Harrison  sole 
"  commissioner  to  enter  into  any  treaties  which  may  be  neces 
sary  with  any  Indian  tribes,  Northwest  of  the  Ohio,  and  with 
in  the  territory  of  the  United  States,  on  the  subject  of  their 
boundaries  or  lands."  By  virtue  of  this,  or  a  similar  authori 
ty,  during  the  subsequent  course  of  his  administration,  Harri 
son  effected  thirteen  important  treaties  with  the  different 


10 

tribes,  on  the  most  advantageous  terms ;  and  obtained  from 
them,  at  various  times,  the  cession  of  large  tracts  of  land, 
amounting,  in  all,  to  more  than  sixty  millions  of  acres,  and  em 
bracing  a  large  portion  of  the  richest  region  in  our  country. 

In  their  frequent  intercourse  with  Governor  Harrison,  the 
Indians  had  learned  to  respect  his  undaunted  firmness,  and 
were,  at  the  same  time,  conciliated  by  his  kindness  of  manner 
and  considerate  forbearance.  This,  with  his  intimate  know 
ledge  of  the  Indian  character,  is  the  true  secret  of  the  remark 
able  success  that  has  uniformly  attended  eveiy  treaty  he  has 
attempted  to  effect. 

The  various  and  arduous  duties  of  the  Governor  of  Indiana 
required,  for  this  office,  a  man  of  very  superior  abilities — one 
possessed  of  stern  integrity  and  prudent  moderation,  accom 
panied  by  the  most  unwavering  firmness.  Such  a  man  Gov 
ernor  Harrison,  in  the  long  course  of  his  administration, 
fully  proved  himself  to  be.  The  plainest  evidence  of  this,  to 
those  who  are  not  familiar  with  the  history  of  Indiana  during 
this  period,  is  the  fact,  that,  for  thirteen  years,  at  every  suc 
cessive  expiration  of  his  term  of  office,  he  was  re-appointed, 
at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  the  people  of  the  territory,  and 
with  the  public  expression  of  the  most  flattering  approbation 
on  the  part  of  our  chief  Executive.  And  this  too,  notwith 
standing  the  entire  change  which  had  taken  place  within  that 
time  of  the  ruling  politics  of  the  country — his  first  appointment 
having  been  made  by  Mr.  Adams,  his  second  and  third  by 
Mr.  Jefferson,  and  his  fourth  by  Mr.  Madison.  The  follow 
ing  extract  from  the  resolution,  unanimously  passed  by  the 
House  of  Representatives  of  Indiana,  in  the  year  1809,  re 
questing  the  re-appointment  of  Governor  Harrison,  will  show 
the  estimate  which  a  long  acquaintance  had  taught  them  ot 
his  worth:— 

"  They  (the  House  of  Representatives)  cannot  forbear  re 
commending  to,  and  requesting  of,  the  President  and  Senate, 
most  earnestly  in  their  own  names,  and  in  the  names  of  their 
constituents,  the  re-appointment  of  their  present  Governor. 
William  Henry  Harrison — because  he  possesses  the  good 
wishes  and  affections  of  a  great  majority  of  his  fellow-citizens ; 
because  they  believe  him  sincerely  attached  to  the  Union,  the 
prosperity  of  the  United  States,  and  the  administration  of  its 
government;  because  they  believe  him  in  a  superior  degree 
capable  of  promoting  the  interests  of  our  territory;  from 


11 

long  experience  and  laborious  attention  to  its  concerns,  from 
his  influence  over  the  Indians,  and  wise  and  disinterested  man 
agement  of  that  department ;  and  because  they  have  confi 
dence  in  his  virtues,  talents,  and  republicanism.'' 

If  necessary,  we  might  fill  a  goodly  volume  with  extracts 
from  public  documents  of  a  similar  nature  ;  but  what  stronger 
proof  than  this  could  we  have  of  the  popularity  of  Governor 
Harrison,  and  of  the  entire  confidence  with  which  the  people 
relied  on  his  integrity  and  ability  as  a  statesman? 

In  the  year  1S05,  the  celebrated  Indian  chief,  Tecumthe, 
and  his  notorious  brother,  the  Shawanese  prophet,  Ol-li-wa- 
chi-ca,  (sometimes  called  Els-kwa-taw-a,)  began  to  create  dis 
turbances  on  the  frontiers  of  Indiana.  Tecumthe  was  a  bold 
and  daring  warrior ;  sagacious  in  council  and  formidable  in  bat 
tle.  The  prophet  was  a  shrewd  impostor  ;  cunning,  artful, 
and  treacherous ;  and  they  were  leagued  together  by  the  tie  of 
mutual  interests,  and  a  common  hatred  to  the  whites.  The 
object  of  these  crafty  intriguers  was  to  form,  by  their  own  in 
fluence  and  the  aid  of  foreign  emissaries,  a  combination  among 
all  the  Northwestern  tribes  of  Indians — with  the  hope,  that 
by  a  simultaneous  attack,  they  might  destroy  all  the  whites, 
or  force  them  from  the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi.  But  their 
designs  were  soon  known  to  Governor  Harrison,  and,  aware  of 
his  dangerous  situation,  his  prudence  and  wise  policy  enabled 
him,  for  several  years,  to  hold  his  savage  neighbors  in  check. 
The  following  extracts  from  a  speech,  which  he  delivered  to 
the  Legislature  of  Indiana,  in  1809,  will  serve  to  show  that  he 
fully  understood  the  nature  and  cause  of  the  excitement  then 
existing  among  the  Indians — "  Presenting,  as  we  do,"  said 
Governor  Harrison,  "  a  very  extended  frontier  to  numerous 
and  warlike  tribes  of  the  aborigines,  the  state  of  our  relations 
with  them  must  always  form  an  important  and  interesting 
feature  in  our  local  politics.  It  is  with  regret  that  I  have  to 
inform  you,  that  the  harmony  and  good  understanding  which 
it  is  so  much  our  interest  to  cultivate  with  those  our  neigh 
bors,  have,  for  some  time  past,  experienced  a  considerable 
interruption,  and  that  we  have  indeed  been  threatened  with 
hostilities,  by  a  combination  formed  under  the  auspices  of  a 
bold  adventurer,  who  pretended  to  act  under  the  immediate 
inspiration  of  the  Deity.  His  character  as  a  prophet  would 
not,  however,  have  given  him  any  very  dangerous  influence, 
if  he  had  not  been  assisted  by  the  intrigues  and  advice  of  for- 


12 

eign  agents,  and  other  disaffected  persons,  who  have  for  years 
omitted  no  opportunity  of  counteracting  the  measures  of  the 
Government  with  regard  to  the  Indians,  and  filling  their  natu 
rally  jealous  minds  with  suspicions  of  the  justice  and  integ 
rity  of  our  views  towards  them." 

Two  years  subsequent  to  this,  in  1811,  from  petty  aggres 
sions,  the  Indians  proceeded  to  more  open  violence,  and  acts 
of  decided  hostility.  The  war  whoop  was  again  heard  yelling 
within  the  limits  of  the  territory,  and  every  day  brought  fresh 
accounts  of  the  perpetration  of  those  atrocious  deeds  of  dep 
redation  and  murder,  which  always  give  the  first  intimation  of 
a  savage  war.  From  motives  of  humanity  as  well  as  policy. 
Governor  Harrison  had  always  endeavored  to  avoid  a  war 
with  the  Indians ;  but  when  this  result  became  unavoidable, 
he  promptly  adopted  the  most  energetic  measures  within  his 
limited  resources,  to  place  the  territory  in  a  posture  of  defence. 
At  his  own  earnest  request,  and  at  the  solicitation  of  the  peo 
ple,  the  President,  soon  after,  directed  him  to  inarch  with  an 
armed  force  towards  the  principal  place  of  rendezvous  of  the 
hostile  Indians,  the  Prophet's  town,  on  the  Wabash,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Tippecanoe — where  this  crafty  impostor  had 
assembled  a  body  of  more  than  a  thousand  fierce  warriors, 
ready  to  obey  his  will. 

Governor  Harrison  immediately  assembled  five  hundred  of 
the  militia  and  volunteers  of  Indiana.  These  with  a  regiment 
of  United  States  infantry,  consisting  of  three  hundred  and  fifty 
men,  commanded  by  Colonel  Boyd,  and  a  small  body  of  volun 
teers  from  Kentucky,  constituted  his  whole  available  force — 
amounting  in  all  to  about  nine  hundred  effective  men.  As  soon 
as  he  had  disciplined  these  troops,  and  trained  both  the  regu 
lars  and  militia  in  the  Indian  mode  of  warfare,  he  took  up  his 
line  of  march  towards  the  Prophet's  towrn. 

He  left  Fort  Harrison,  on  the  Wabash,  about  sixty  miles 
above  Vincennes,  on  the  28th  of  October,  1811.  Profiting  by 
his  own  early  experience,  [this  was  seventeen  years  after  the 
battle  of  Miami,]  and  the  remembered  example  of  his  old 
friend  and  commander,  General  Wayne,  his  march  through 
a  wild  country  to  Tippecanoe,  was  conducted  with  so  much 
skill  and  prudence,  that  he  avoided  all  danger  of  ambuscade  or 
surprise  from  the  savage  foe.  On  the  6th  of  November,  the 
army  arrived  within  five  or  six  miles  of  the  Prophet's  town. 
According  to  the  instructions  he  had  received  from  the  Presi- 


13 

dent,  Governor  Harrison  immediately  sent  in  a  flag  of  truce, 
t©  endeavor  to  open  an  amicable  negotiation  with  the  hostile 
Indians.  To  this  overture,  the  Prophet  returned  a  deceitful 
reply — he  professed  the  most  pacific  intentions,  and  agreed  to 
meet  Harrison  the  next  day  in  council,  with  his  chiefs,  to  settle 
definitely  the  terms  of  peace.  But  Harrison  knew  too  well 
the  treachery  of  his  artful  antagonist  to  allow  himself  to  be 
deceived  by  his  specious  professions,  or  lulled  into  any  fancied 
security.  He  carefully  selected  the  most  eligible  and  defensi 
ble  position  for  his  encampment,  and  ordered  his  troops  to  lie 
upon  their  arms  all  night,  that  they  might  be  in  readiness,  at  a 
moment's  warning,  to  repel  any  sudden  attack  of  the  enemy. 
The  sequel  proved  that  these  precautions  were  wisely  adopted. 
An  anxious  night  passed  away  without  interruption ;  but 
about  four  o'clock,  on  the  folio wing  morning,  two  hours  before 
daylight,  a  sentinel  at  one  of  the  outposts  discovered  an  Indian 
creeping  stealthily  towards  the  camp.  He  immediately  gave 
the  alarm,  and  almost  at  the  same  instant,  a  strong  body  of  the 
enemy  rushed  towards  the  encampment,  with  the  most  savage 
yells.  They  made  a  furious  charge  on  the  left  of  the  camp  ; 
and  so  sudden  and  desperate  was  their  onset,  that  the  guard 
stationed  in  that  quarter,  gave  way,  at  first,  to  their  fierce  as 
sailants.  But  these  brave  troops  soon  rallied,  and  retrieved 
the  ground  they  had  lost.  The  camp-fires  were  extinguished 
with  all  possible  haste,  and  the  battle  was  now  waged  on  more 
equal  terms.  Our  gallant  troops  fought  with  the  most  daring 
intrepidity,  and  their  savage  foes  evinced  a  desperate  valor 
worthy  of  a  better  cause.  The  battle  raged  with  great  fury 
till  the  dawn  of  day,  when  a  simultaneous  charge  was  made 
;  upon  the  enemy,  on  either  flank,  and  they  were  speedily  put 
to  flight,  with  great  loss,  and  the  battle  terminated.  During 
!  all  this  time,  the  false  Prophet  had  been  seated  at  a  safe  dis- 
j  tance  from  the  field  of  battle,  chanting  a  war-song,  and  prom- 
i  ising  victory  to  his  deluded  brethren. 

The  battle  of  Tippecanoe  was  one  of  the  most  spirited  and 

best  fought  actions  recorded  in  the  annals  of  our  Indian  wars. 

I  The  numbers  and  the   weapons  on  either  side  were  nearly 

*  equal ;  and  the  Indians,  contrary  to  their  usual  custom,  fought 

hand  to  hand,  and  with  the  fiercest  bravery.     Every  man  in 

this  battle  encountered  his  share  of  danger,  but  no  man  was 

in  more  personal  peril  than  Governor  Harrison  himself — well 

known  to  many  of  the  Indians,  and  the  object  of  their  peculiar 


14 

attack — his  fearless  and  unshrinking  exposure,  makes  it  seem 
almost  a  miracle  that  he  should  have  escaped  unwounded.  In 
referring  to  the  coolness  and  intrepidity  of  Governor  Harris 
on,  on  this  occasion,  we  cannot  refrain  from  making  the  fol 
lowing  extracts  from  a  journal  published  in  1816,  by  a  private 
soldier,  who  fought  in  this  battle,  and  \vho  could  have  had  no 
interested  motives  for  his  publication: — "General  Harrison/* 
he  says,  "received  a  shot  through  the  rim  of  his  hat.  In  the 
heat  of  the  action  his  voice  was  frequently  heard,  and  easily 
distinguished,  giving  his  orders  in  the  same  calm,  cool,  and  col 
lected  manner,  with  wrhich  we  had  been  used  to  receive  them 
on  drill  or  parade.  The  confidence  of  the  troops  in  the  Gen 
eral  was  unlimited."  The  same  writer,  in  speaking  of  Harris 
on's  kindness  to  the  soldiers,  and  his  influence  over  them,  re 
marks  : — "  He  appeared  not  disposed  to  detain  any  man  against 
his  inclination;  being  endowed  by  nature  with  a  heart  as  hu 
mane  as  brave,  in  his  frequent  addresses  to  the  militia,  his 
eloquence  was  formed  to  persuade;  appeals  were  made  to 
reason  as  well  as  feeling,  and  never  were  they  made*  in  vain." 

An  incident  that  occurred  at  this  time,  is  worth  recording. 
The  night  before  the  battle,  a  negro  man  belonging  to  the 
camp,  who  had  been  missing,  was  arrested  near  the  Govern 
or's  marquee,  under  very  suspicious  circumstances.  lie  was 
tried  by  a  court-martial  for  desertion  to  the  enemy,  and  for  an 
attempt  to  assassinate  the  Governor.  Sufficient  evidence  was 
found  to  convict  him,  and  he  was  sentenced  to  death ;  yet  such 
were  the  humane  feelings  of  Harrison,  that  he  could  not  induce 
himself  to  sign  the  order  for  his  execution.  As  the  criminal 
attempt  had  been  made  against  his  own  life,  he  felt  himself 
privileged  to  exercise  his  benevolence  towards  the  offender, 
and  the  misguided  wretch  was  suffered  to  escape  the  just  pun 
ishment  of  his  crime.  It  would  have  been  more  in  accord 
ance  with  the  principles  of  strict  justice,  to  have  allowed  the 
law  to  take  its  own  course  in  this  instance;  but  the  circum 
stances  of  the  case  were  very  peculiar,  and  Governor  Harris 
on's  conduct  evinced  a  magnanimity  and  humanity  of  heart 
rarely  equalled. 

The  importance  of  the  victory  at  Tippecanoe,  cannot  be  too 
highly  estimated.  It  quelled  the  haughty  spirit  of  the  discon 
tented  and  hostile  Indians,  and  defeated  the  plan,  which  they 
had  almost  matured,  of  attacking  and 'destroy  ing  our  scattered 
border  settlements  in  detail.  Had  we  lost  this  battle,  our  army 


15 

must  have  been  annihilated — the  whole  extent  of  our  defence 
less  frontier  would  have  been  left  to  the  mercy  of  sanguinary 
and  unsparing  savages,  and  the  consequent  loss  of  life,  and  de 
struction  of  property  would  have  been  almost  incalculable. 

The  President,  in  his  message  to  Congress,  dated  December 
18th,  1812,  makes  the  following  honorable  mention  of  this 
battle :  "While  it  is  deeply  to  be  lamented,"  says  Mr.  Madison, 
*  that  so  many  valuable  lives  have  been  lost  in  the  action  which 
took  place  on  the  9th  ult.,  Congress  will  see,  with  satisfaction, 
the  dauntless  spirit  and  fortitude  victoriously  displayed  by 
every  description  of  troops  engaged,  as  well  as  the  collected 
tirmness  which  distinguished  their  commander,  on  an  occasion 
requiring  the  utmost  exertion  of  valor  and  discipline." 

The  Legislature  of  Kentucky,  at  their  ensuing  session,  ex 
pressed  their  high  sense  of  Governor  Harrison's  good  conduct 
on  this  occasion,  by  the  following  complimentary  resolution: — 

"Resolved,  That  in  the  late  campaign  against  the  Indians, 
on  the  Wabash,  Governor  W.  H.  Harrison  has,  in  the  opinion 
of  this  Legislature,  behaved  like  a  hero,  a  patriot,  and  a  gene 
ral  ;  and  that  for  his  cool,  deliberate,  skilful,  and  gallant  con 
duct,  in  the  late  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  he  deserves  the  warmest 
thanks  of  the  nation." 

This  high  encomium  came  from  those  whose  friends  and 
neighbors  had  participated  in  the  late  campaign,  and  who  were 
consequently  familiar  with  its  details,  and  with  the  merits  of 
the  commander. 

War  was  declared  against  Great  Britian  in  June,  1812. 
Prior  to  this  event,  British  agents  had,  for  a  long  time,  been 
tampering  with  the  discontented  Indians  within  our  territory, 
and  had  bribed  them  with  presents,  and  furnished  them  with 
fire-arms,  to  induce  them  to  renew  their  hostilities  against  our 
country.  The  crafty  and  daring  Tecumthe,  too,  was  one*- 
more  in  the  field.  Urged  on  by  his  savage  eloquence,  by  their 
own  native  love  for  war  and  plunder,  and  by  the  atrocious  in 
trigues  of  foreign  agents,  the  Northwestern  Indians  again  rais 
ed  the  war-whoop,  and  commenced  their  barbarous  system  of 
warfare.  Their  cruel  murders  and  depredations  became  of 
frequent  occurrence,  and  the  wailings  of  bereaved  mothers 
and  orphans,  and  the  bitter  complaints  of  those  who  had  esca 
ped  from  the  conflagration  of  their  plundered  homes,  excited 
the  commiseration  of  our  hardy  borderers,  and  roused  a  gen- 

noij^irqoq  B  m  i>r/ojn'»  ffoertisll 


16 

cral  feeling  of  indignation.     Such  was  the  state  of  excitement 
in  our  frontier  settlements  in  the  summer  of  1812. 

Immediately  after  the  declaration  of  war,  our  Western  Gov 
ernors  promptly  adopted  every  measure  in  their  power,  for 
the  defence  of  their  respective  States  and  Territories.  But, 
conscious  of  the  great  abilities  and  experience  of  Harrison,  they 
placed  the  utmost  reliance  on  his  counsels,  and  looked  to  him 
as  the  leader,  under  whom  they  might  hope  for  success  against 
the  common  enemy.  He  aided  Governor  Edwards  in  placing 
the  frontier  of  Illinois  in  a  posture  of  defence,  and  soon  after, 
was  invited  by  Governor  Scott,  of  Kentucky,  to  a  conference 
in  relation  to  the  Kentucky  troops,  which  had  been  raised  for 
the  defence  of  the  frontier.  He  accepted  this  invitation,  and 
met  Governor  Scott  at  Frankfort,  where  he  was  received  with 
the  acclamations  of  the  people,  and  with  the  highest  civil  and 
military  honors.  These  public  marks  of  the  high  estimation 
in  which  Harrison  was  held  by  the  people,  were  shortly  after 
followed  by  proofs  st'll  more  flattering,  of  their  confidence  in 
his  patriotism,  his  abilities,  and  his  military  skill. 

Governor  Scott  had  levied  an  armed  force  of  more  than 
five  thousand  militia  and  volunteers,  commanded  by  some  of 
the  ablest  men  and  most  experienced  officers  in  the  State. 
Two  thousand  of  these  troops  were  ordered  for  immediate 
service ;  and  they  had  no  sooner  learned  that  they  were  des 
tined  to  march  to  the  aid  of  their  fellow-countrymen  on  the 
frontier,  than  they  at  once  unanimously  expressed  the  most 
earnest  desire  to  be  placed  under  the  command  of  Governor 
Harrison.  This  desire  was  responded  to  by  the  wishes  of 
the  people  throughout  the  State.  The  laws  of  Kentucky, 
however,  would  not  permit  any  other  than  a  citizen,  to  hold  a 
command  in  the  State  militia.  In  this  dilemma,  Governor 
Scott  consulted  with  the  venerable  Shelby,  (the  Governor 
elect,)  the  Hon.  Henry  Clay,  and  other  distinguished  citizens 
of  the  State ;  and  by  their  unanimous  advice  he  gave  Harrison 
a  brevet  commission  of  Major-General  in  the  Kentucky  mili 
tia,  with  express  authority  to  take  command  of  the  gallant 
troops  about  to  march  to  the  frontier.  This  was  a  bold  and 
unprecedented  measure,  but  one  that  gave  unbounded  satis 
faction  to  both  soldiers  and  citizens,  and  one  fully  warranted 
by  the  peculiar  exigencies  of  the  case.  These  facts  speak 
volumes  in  favor  of  the  remarkable  popularity  which  General 
Harrison  enjoyed  in  a  population  of  brave  and  chivalric  people. 


About  this  time  the  cowardice  ami  imbecility  of  General 
Hull  tamely  surrendered  to  the  British  the  important  post  of 
Detroit,  with  the  gallant  force  which  composed  its  garrison. 
This  event  spread  consternation,  far  and  wide,  through  the 
Western  country,  and  greatly  increased  the  difficulty  and  ar 
duous  nature  of  Governor  Harrison's  duties.  He  immediately 
organized  the  brave  troops  under  his  command,  and  commen 
ced  a  course  of  rigid  discipline  and  military  training;  with  the 
confident  hope  of  retrieving  the  disasters  consequent  upon  the 
cowardly  surrender  of  Detroit. 

Soon  after,  he  was  appointed  a  brigadier-general  in  the  ser 
vice  of  the  United  States.  But,  as  the  chief  command  of  the 
Western  army  was  conferred  on  General  Winchester,  Harris 
on  declined  accepting  the  commission  tendered  him,  and  gave 
up  his  command,  to  return  to  Indiana,  and  resume  the  duties; 
of  his  territorial  government. 

General  Winchester  was  an. old  revolutionary  soldier,  and 
a  brave  and  meritorious  officer ;  but  one  who  was  not,  like 
Harrison,  possessed  of  the  enthusiastic  confidence  of  the  army. 
Governor  Harrison  exerted  every  effort  in  his  power  to  recon 
cile  the  troops  to  this  change.  But  soon  after  he  left  them, 
their  displeasure  at  having  been  deprived  of  their  favorite 
commander  was  not  confined  to  murmurs,  but  created  disaffec 
tion  and  almost  mutiny. 

No  sooner  was  the  President  made  aw^are  of  the  condition 
of  the  army,  and  of  the  almost  unanimous  wishes  of  the  West 
ern  people,  than  he  immediately  appointed  Harrison,  in  place 
of  Winchester,  commander-in-chief  of  the  Northwestern  army. 
The  despatch  conveying  this  appointment,  overtook  him  on  his 
way  to  Indiana,  and  he  returned  without  delay  to  the  army. 

The  powers  conferred  on  Harrison,  as  commander-in-chief 
of  the  Northwestern  army,  were  of  great  extent,  and  he  was 
left  to  exercise  them  according  to  his  own  unrestricted  judg 
ment.  In  the  despatch  containing  this  appointment,  dated 
September  17th,  1812,  the  Secretary  of  War  says: — "You 
will  command  such  means  as  may  be  practicable — exercise 
your  own  discretion,  and  act  in  all  cases  according  to  your 
own  judgment" — thus  conferring  upon  him  extraordinary  and 
almost  unlimited  powers.  We  refer  to  this,  merely  that  we 
may  here  notice  the  remarkable  fact,  that,  though  vested 
with  unusual  powers,  General  Harrison  was  never  known, 
during  the  whole  of  his  command,  to  exercise  his  authority  in 

2 


19 

an  unjust  or  oppressive  manner.  His  measures  were  ener 
getic,  but  always  qualified  by  his  characteristic  moderation 
and  humanity,  and  by  a  regard  for  the  feelings  of  even  the 
meanest  soldier  in  his  camp. 

The  duties  that  devolved  on  General  Harrison,  in  his  new 
station,  were  arduous  beyond  description,  The  troops  under 
his  command,  though  brave,  \vere  mostly  inexperienced  and 
undisciplined  recruits  ;  and  the  army  was  badly  equipped,  and 
nearly  destitute  of  baggage  and  military  stores.  With  these 
limited  means,  and  under  these  unfavorable  circumstances,  l*e 
was  required  to  defend  an  immense  extent  of  frontier,  stretch 
ing  along  the  shores  of  the  great  northern  lakes,  whose  nu 
merous  harbors  and  rivers  were  easy  of  access  to  the  enemy. 
In  addition  to  this,  the  roads  leading  to  those  points  which 
most  required  defence,  were  nearly  impassable,  and  lay,  for 
hundreds  of  miles,  through  a  wilderness  swarming  with  hos 
tile  Indians,  and  through  gloomy  and  dangerous  swamps, 
•where  the  troops,  though  little  encumbered  with  baggage, 
could  advance  but  slowly,  and  with  great  fatigue.  Under  all 
these  difficulties,  the  spirits  of  the  soldiers  were  sustained  by 
the  presence  and  example  of  their  favorite  commander — who 
animated  them  in  their  fatigues,  and  cheerfully  endured  the 
same  hardships  and  privations  which  they  encountered. 

The  autumn  and  early  part  of  the  winter  were  spent  in  ac 
tive  and  laborious  preparations  for  the  approaching  summer 
campaign — roads  were  cut,  depots  formed,  forts  built,  and  a 
few  expeditions  were  sent  out  to  protect  our  out-posts,  and 
keep  the  enemy  in  check.  One  of  these  expeditions,  consist 
ing  of  a  detachment  of  six  hundred  men,  under  Lieut.  Colonel 
Campbell,  was  sent  by  General  Harrison  against  a  fortified 
Indian  village,  from  which  our  troops  had  suffered  nruch  an 
noyance.  This  enterprise  \vas  conducted  with  great  skill  and 
success.  The  village  \vas  attacked  in  the  most  gallant  man 
ner,  and,  after  a  desperate  action  of  more  than  an  hour,  was 
carried  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  From  the  general  order 
issued  by  Harrison,  on  the  return  of  this  expedition,  we  make 
the  following  extract,  which  will  convey  some  idea  of  the  hu 
mane  and  generous  feelings,  that  have  always  characterized 
both  his  public  and  private  conduct.  After  awarding  these 
gallant  troops  the  high  meed  of  praise  which  their  bravery 
had  won,  he  goes  on  to  say, — "  But  the  character  of  this  gal 
lant-  detachment,  exhibiting  as  it  did,  perseverence,  fortitude. 


19 

and  bravery,  would,  however,  be  incomplete,  if,  in  the  midst 
of  victory,  they  had  forgotten  the  feelings  of  humanity.  It  is 
with  the  sincerest  pleasure  that  the  General  has  heard,  that 
the  most  punctual  obedience  was  paid  to  his  orders,  in  not 
only  saving  all  the  women  and  children,  but  in  sparing  all  tho 
warriors  who  ceased  to  resist ;  and  that  even  when  vigor 
ously  attacked  by  the  enemy,  the  claims  of  mercy  prevailed 
over  every  sense  of  their  own  danger,  and  this  heroic  band 
respected  the  lives  of  their  prisoners.  Let  an  account  of  mur- 
dured  innocence  be  opened  in  the  records  of  heaven,  against 
our  enemies  alone.  The  American  soldier  will  follow  the  ex 
ample  of  his  government ;  and  the  sword  of  the  one  will  not 
be  raised  against  the  fallen  and  helpless,  nor  the  gold  of  the 
other  be  paid  for  the  scalps  of  a  massacred  enemy."  What 
a  contrast  do  these  noble  sentiments  present  to  the  atrocous 
conduct  of  the  British  General,  Proctor — who,  at  the  cruel 
massacre  at  Rasin  River,  and  elesewhere,  basely  permitted 
unresisting  prisoners  of  v*ar  to  be  butchered,  by  his  savage 
allies,  in  cold  blood.. 

Late  in  the  season  the  army  went  into  winter  quarters  at 
their  strongly  fortified  position  on  the  banks  of  the  Mairni, 
near  the  rapids,  which  was  called  Camp  Meigs,.in  honor  of 
the  patriotic  governor  of  Ohio.  Leaving  the  army  at  that 
station,  General  Harrison  proceeded  to  Cincinnati,  to  procure 
reinforcements  of  men,  arid  supplies  of  provisions  and  military 
stores,  for  the  approaching  campaign.  But  early  in  the 
spring,  intelligence  was  received  that  the  British  were  making 
extensive  preparations,  and  concentrating  a  large  force  of 
regular  soldiers,  Canadians,  and  Indians,,  to  besiege  Fort 
Meigs..  On>  obtaining  this  information,  General  Harrison  has 
tened  to  his  camp,  and  exerted  the  most  strenuous  efforts, 
to  prepare  for  this  threatened  attack  of  the  enemy.  His  pre 
sence  cheered  the  troops,  and  he  inspired  them  with  fresh  ar 
dor,  on  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  by  an  eloquent  address, 
in  which  he  alluded  modestly,  but  in  the  most  animating  man 
ner,  to  the  neighboring  battle-field,  where  General  Wayne 
had  gained  the  brilliant  victory  of  the  Miami,  and  where  he 
himself  had  won  the  brightest  of  his  earlier  laurels. 

On  the  28th  of  April,  181<3,  the  scouts  brought  in  intelli 
gence  of  the  arrival  of  the  enemy.  On  the  samo  day,  a 
strong  force  of  British  and  Indians  ascended  the  river  in  boats,, 
and!  disembarked,  partly  on  the  southeastern  shore,  and  part- 


20 

Jy  ©n  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  Here  they  immediately 
commenced  the  construction  of  three  powerful  batteries.— 
Corresponding  traverses  were  made  within  the  Fort,  and 
every  approach  of  the  enemy  was  met  and  foiled,  with  con 
summate  skill  and  bravery. 

On  the  first  of  May,  the  batteries  of  the  enemy  being  com 
pleted,  they  opened  a  heavy  cannonading,  wThich  was  return 
ed  with  equal  vigor  from  the  Fort.  This  connonading  was 
continued  without  intermission  for  five  days  ;  but  owing  to  the 
skilful  dispositions  of  General  Harrison,  it  was  attended  with 
very  little  loss  on  our  side. 

On  the  fifth  of  May,  a  gallant  reinforcement  of  Kentuck- 
ians,  under  General  Clay,  fought  their  way  to  the  camp  ;  and 
Harrison  availing  himself  of  this  fortunate  occurrence,  prompt 
ly  ordered  a  sortie  to  be  made  from  the  Fort  to  destroy  the 
batteries  of  the  enemy.  The  detachment  ordered  to  this  ser 
vice,  consisted  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  men,  a  part  of  whom 
were  regulars,  and  the  remainder  volunteers  and  Kentucky 
militia,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Miller,  of  the  United 
States  army.  These  brave  troops  attacked  a  body  of  British 
regulars  and  Indians,  of  more  than  double  their  number  ;  but 
the  impetuosity  of  their  charge  was  irresistible,  and  after  a  se 
vere  struggle,  they  drove  the  enemy  from  the  batteries.  They 
spiked  the  cannon,  took  a  large  number  of  prisoners,  and  hav 
ing  fully  accomplished  their  object,  returned  in  triumph  to  the. 
Fort.  This  sortie  was  one  of  the  most  sanguinary  and  des 
perate  actions  fought  during  the  whole  war — and  its  brilliant 
success  was  richly  merited,  by  the  intrepid  gallantry  of  the 
brave  troops  engaged  in  it. 

Thwarted  by  the  skilful  dispositions  of  Harrison,  and  by  the 
battle,  or  rather  succession  of  battles,  fought  on  the  fifth,  Proc 
tor  was  compelled  to  abandon  the  siege  of  Fort  Meigs  ;  and 
on  the  eighth  of  May,  he  broke  up  his  camp,  and  retreated  in 
disappointment  and  disgrace. 

Thus  terminated  the  glorious  defence  of  Fort  Meigs.  Har 
rison,  soon  after,  left  General  Clay  in  command  of  that  im 
portant  post,  and,  unwearied  in  his  exertions,  proceeded  to 
more  difficult  and  arduous  duties,  at  other  exposed  stations. 

The  unceasing  efforts  of  the  British,  and  the  restless  spirit 
of  Tecumthe,  allowed  our  troops  but  little  time  to  recover 
from  their  severe  fatigues.  In  less  than  two  months  after  the 
<iege  of  Fort  Meigs  had  been  abandoned,  the  Indians  assem- 


21 

bled  a  formidable  body  of  more  than  five  thousand  warriors* 
under  their  most  noted  chiefs,  and  again  threatened  an  attack 
on  that  fortress.  On  receiving  this  intelligence,  General  Har 
rison,  with  a  small  body  of  regulars,  hastened  to  Fort  Meigs, 
by  forced  marches,  and  fortunately  arrived  there  before  the 
enemy.  Leaving  a  reinforcement  with  General  Clay,  he  re 
turned  without  delay  to  his  more  active  duties. 

During  the  whole  of  this  interesting  campaign,  the  vigilance 
and  the  intrepidity  of  General  Harrison,  with  the  bravery  of 
his  soldiers,  enabled  him  to  keep  a  far  superior  force  of  the 
enemy  in  check,  and  to  protect  the  wide  extent  of  our  expos 
ed  frontier. 

About  the  period  when  the  enemy  invested  Fort  Meigs  for 
the  second  time,  they  mad9  a  desperate  attack  on  Fort  Ste- 
phcnson,  a  temporary  depot  at  Lower  Sandusky,  which  was 
bravely  and  successfully  defended  by  Major  Croghan,  of  the 
regular  service. 

We  lay  before  our  readers  the  following  short  extracts 
from  an  address  to  the  public,  relative  to  this  affair,  which 
was  voluntarily  published  by  the  general,  field,  and  staff  offi 
cers  of  General  Harrison's  army.  After  expressing  their 
"regret  and  surprise,  that  charges  as  improper  in  form  as  in 
substance,  should  have  been  made  against  General  Harrison, 
during  the  recent  investment  of  Lower  Sandusky,"  they  go 
on  to  say :  "  He  who  believes  that  with  our  disposable  force, 
and  under  the  circumstances  which  then  occurred,  .General 
Harrison  ought  to  have  advanced  upon  the  enemy,  must  be 
left  to  correct  his  opinion  in  the  school  of  experience. 

"On  a  review  of  the  course  then  adopted,  we  are  decided 
ly  of  the  opinion,  that  it  was  such  as  was  dictated  by  military 
wisdom,  and  by  a  due  regard  to  our  circumstances,  and  to  the 
situation  of  the  enemy.  *  *  *  *  And  with  a  ready  acquies 
cence,  beyond  the  mere  claims  of  military  duty,  we  are  pre 
pared  to  obey  a  general,  whose  measures  meet  our  most  delib 
erate  approbation,  and  merit  that  of  his  country." 

The  chivalrous  and  noble  spirited  Croghan,  who  was  one  of 
the  signers  of  the  above  address,  about  the  same  time  publish 
ed  another  paper  on  this  subject,  dated  from  Lower  Sandus 
ky,  in  which  he  says  : — "I  have  with  much  regret  seen  in  some 
of  the  public  prints  such  misrepresentations  respecting  my  re 
fusal  to  evacuate  this  post,  as  are  calculated  not  only  to  injure 
me  in  the  estimation  of  military  men,  but  also  to  excite  unfa- 


22 

\orable  impressions  as  to  the  propriety  of  General  Harrison's 
conduct  relative  to  this  affair. 

"His  character  as  a  military  man  is  too  well  established  to 
need  my  approbation  or  support.  But  his  public  service  enti 
tles  him  at  least  to  common  justice.  This  affair  does  not  fur 
nish  cause  of  reproach.  If  public  opinion  has  been  lately  mis 
led  respecting  his  late  conduct,  it  will  require  but  a  moment's 
cool,  dispassionate  reflection,  to  convince  them  of  its  propriety. 
The  measures  recently  adopted  by  him,  so  far  from  deserving 
censure,  are  the  clearest  proofs  of  his  keen  penetration  and 
able  generalship" 

Disappointed  in  their  hopes  of  plunder,  and  dispirited  by  the 
numerous  defeats  they  had  sustained,  the  savage  allies  of  the 
British  had  become  discontented  f  the  second  siege  of  Fort 
Meigs  had  been  abandoned,  and  gradually  the  enemy  entirely 
withdrew  from  our  territory,  and  concentrated  their  forces  at 
Maiden,  their  principal  stronghold  in  Upper  Canada.  It  will 
thus  be  seen,  that  the  skill  with  which  General  Harrison  had 
conducted  his  defensive  operations,  the  only  resource  left  him 
in  the  face  of  a  superior  foe,  had  been  eminently  successful ;  and 
had  not  only  protected  our  widely  extended  frontier,  but  had 
eventually  forced  the  enemy  to  retire,  mortified  and  humbled 
by  defeat,  from  our  country. 

The  activity  and  enterprise  of  General  Harrison,  did  not 
long  permit  the  enemy  to  rest,  after  their  retreat  from  our 
territory.  He  immediately  commenced  preparations  for  car 
rying  the  war  into  their  own  conntiy,  and  formed  his  plan 
for  the  capture  of  Maiden,  and  the  conquest  of  Upper  Canada. 

Commodore  Perry  had  been  instructed  to  co-operate  with 
General  Harrison,  with  the  fleet  under  his  command,  and  by 
a  happy  co-incidence,  that  gallant  hero  gained  his  glorious  vic 
tory  on  Lake  Erie,  and  captured  the  entire  squadron  of  the 
enemy,  just  about  the  time  when  General  Harrison  had  matured 
his  plans  for  the  invasion  of  Canada. 

On  the  27th  of  September,  the  troops  embarked  at  Sandusky 
Bay,  and  advanced  towards  Maiden,  expecting  to  find  the 
British  and  Indians  encamped  there  in  full  force.  But  upon 
landing  upon  the  Canada  shore,  they  found  that  Proctor,  dis 
heartened  by  his  recent  defeats,  had  abandoned  that  stronghold, 
after  having  destroyed  the  fort  and  navy-yard ;  and  had  re 
treated  with  his  regulars  and  savage  allies  to  Sandwich.  Our 
army  encamped  at  Maiden,  and  the  patriotic  troops  could  not 


33 

restrain  their  exultation,  on  having  gained  possession  of  the 
fortress  from  which  had  issued,  for  years  past,  those  ruthless 
bands  of  savages,  which  had  swept  over  our  extended  frontier, 
like  the  wing  of  the  destroying  angel,  leaving  death  and  de 
struction  only  in  their  path. 

Our  army  advanced  rapidly  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  and 
overtook  them  on  the  5th  of  October,  at  a  place  which  is  des 
tined  to  be  remembered,  as  the  battle  ground  of  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  -and  decisive  actions  fought  during  the  war. 

General  Proctor,  having  had  his  choice  of  ground,  occupied 
a  strong  position,  flanked  on  the  left  by  the  river  Thames,  and 
on  the  right  by  a  swamp,  beyond  which  were  posted  two  thou 
sand  Indians,  under  Tecumthe,  But  Proctor  committed  an 
irretrievable  error,  in  placing  his  regular  soldiers  in  open  or 
der,  and  extending  his  line  by  placing  the  files  at  a  distance  of 
three  or  four  feet  from  each  other. 

The  American  army  advanced  in  order  of  battle,  and  when 
in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  enemy,  the  reconnoi- 
tering  parties  brought  in  intelligence  of  the  dispositions  Proctor 
had  made.  Harrison,  with  the  rapid  decision  of  an  able  gene 
ral,  instantly  availed  himself  of  the  error  of  his  opponent, 
and  ordered  Colonel  Johnson  to  charge  the  enemy's  line  in  co 
lumn,  with  his  regiment  of  mounted  Kentuckians.  The  ex- 
fended  and  weakened  line  of  the  enemy  could  offer  but  a  feeble 
resistence  to  the  charge  of  these  gallant  troops ;  who  dashed 
through  their  ranks  with  overwhelming  impetuosity,  and 
formed  and  attacked  them  in  the  rear.  Panic-struck  by  this 
bold  and  unexpected  manoeuvre,  and  at  being  assailed  both  in 
front  and  rear,  the  British  threw  down  their  arms  in  dismay, 
and  the  whole  army  was  captured,  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  who  escaped  by  an  early  flight  with  Proctor.  The  In 
dians  attacked  our  troops  on  the  left,  and  fought  with  great 
fierceness  and  daring,  until  repulsed  with  great  slaughter. 

The  decisive  and  important  battle  was  thus  fought  and  won, 
in  a  space  of  time  almost  incredibly  short,  and  with  a  very  tri 
fling  loss  on  our  side.  All  the  baggage  of  the  enemy,  and 
their  valuable  military  stores,  together  with  the  official  papers 
of  Proctor,  fell  into  our  hands;  and  several  pieces  of  brass 
cannon  which  had  been  taken  from  the  British  in  our  revolu 
tionary  victories,  but  which  Hull  had  shamefully  surrendered 
at  Detroit,  were  again  captured  from  our  ancient  foe. 
-%>  •**.'  !J:<-:  <;  •-  fj  J>v?nioqa;,  tM8i  <lhqA  'lo'ilJoS  3iij  no  t'i 


24 

The  united  force  of  the  Bitish  regulars  and  Indians  engag- 
ged  in  this  battle,  amounted  to  more  than  2800 — the  number 
of  our  troops  was  less  than  2500 — and  those  were  principally 
militia  and  volunteers.  The  venerable  Governor  Shelby  com 
manded  the  Kentucky  volunteers  in  this  battle,  and  General 
Cass,  our  present  Minister  to  France,  and  the  heroic  Perry,  act 
ed  as  volunteer  aids  to  general  Harrison.  This  brilliant  vic 
tory  following  up  the  capture  of  their  fleet  on  Lake  Erie  by 
the  gaflfatt  Perry,  entirely  destroyed  the  force  of  the  enemy  in 
Upper  Canada,  and  put  an  end  to  the  war  on  our  northwestern 
frontier. 

On  receiving  the  news  of  this  glorious  event,  the  thanks  oi 
Congress  were  expressed  to  General  Harrison  in  the  warmest 
manner.  Among  many  others,  whose  grateful  feelings  found 
utterance  on  this  occasion,  the  Hon.  Langdon  Cheves  observ 
ed,  on  the  floor  of  Congress,  that— -"The  victory  of  Harrison 
was  such  as  would  have  secured  to  a  Roman  general  in  the 
best  days  of  the  Republic,  the  honors  of  a  triumph."  A  sen 
timent  which  was  fully  responded  to,  in  the  complimentary 
notices  which  he  received  from  every  part  of  the  union. 

Having  entirely  defeated  the  enemy  in  Upper  Canada,  Gene 
ral  Harrison  advanced  with  a  part  of  his  army,  to  the  Niagara 
frontier,  and  thence  to  Sackett's  Harbour,  where  he  left  the 
troops,  and  proceeded  to  the  seat  of  government.  On  his  way 
thithe,  he  passed  through  NewT-York  and  Philadelphia;  in 
which  cities  he  was  received  with  the  most  flattering  marks  of 
public  honor  and  distinction.  After  the  necessary  delay  of  a 
few  days  at  Washington,  General  Harrison  proceeded  to  Ohio, 
where  important  duties  required  his  presence. 

In  the  plan  for  the  ensuing  campaign,  to  the  surprise  and 
regret  of  the  public,  General  Harrison  was  designated  for  a 
service,  far  inferior  to  that  which  he  had  a  right  to  expect. 
Regardless  of  the  memorable  victories  which  this  gallant  and 
experienced  officer  had  won,  and  unmindful  of  the  various  and 
important  services  which  he  had  rendered  to  his  country,  the 
Secretary  of  War  saw  fit  to  assign  to  him  the  command  of  a 
district,  where  he  would  be  compelled  to  remain  inactive,  while 
others  were  appointed  to  those  more  arduous  duties,  which  he 
had  heretofore  fulfilled  with  so  much  honour  to  himself,  and  to 
the  nation.  As  if  still  unsatisfied  with  this  egregious  insult 
which  he  had  offered  to  General  Harrison,  the  Secretary  of 
war,  on  the  25th  of  April,  1814,  appointed  a  subordinate  of- 


25 

ficer  to  a  separate  command  within  his  district,  and  notified 
him  to  that  effect.  On  the  receipt  of  this  notification,  General 
Harrison  instantly  addressed  a  letter  to  the  secretary,  tender 
ing  his  resignation,  with  a  notification  thereof  to  the  president. 
"  As  soon  as  Governor  Shelby  heard  of  the  resignation  of  Ge 
neral  Harrison,  he  lost  no  time  in  addressing  the  president  in 
his  usual  forcible  terms,  to  prevent  his  acceptance  of  it ;  but 
unfortunately  for  the  public  interests,  the  president  was  then 
on  a  visit  to  Virginia,  to  which  place  the  letters  from  General 
Harrison  and  Governor  Shelby  were  forwarded,  and  that  of 
the  latter  was  not  received  until  after  the  Secretary  ,Armstrong, 
without  the  precious  consent  of  the  president,  had  assumed  to 
himself  the  high  prerogative  of  accepting  the  resignation.  The 
president  expressed  his  great  regret  that  the  letter  of  Governor 
Shelby  had  not  been  received  earlier,  as  in  that  case  the  valu 
able  services  of  General  Harrison  would  have  been  preserved 
to  the  nation  in  the  ensuing  campaign."* 

In  this  resignation,  General  Harrison  evinced  the  true  patri 
otism  and  disinterestedness,  which  have  always  marked  his 
conduct.  He  would  cheerfully  have  devoted  his  services  to 
his  country,  even  in  an  appointment  inferior  to  that  which 
should  have  been  assigned  to  him — but  he  was  too  high-prin 
cipled  to  retain  his  rank,  by  yielding  assent  to  a  measure,  which 
he  considered  to  be  subversive  of  military  order  and  discipline ; 
and  though  his  own  fortune  had  been  shattered  by  the  neglect 
of  his  private  affairs,  for  the  benefit  of  the  public,  yet  he  scorn 
ed  to  receive  the  pay  and  emoluments  of  his  office,  when  he 
was  no  longer  permitted  to  perform  its  duties  actively  and  hon 
ourably. 

It  would  be  difficult,  at  this  period,  to  trace  out  the  true 
motives  that  induced  the  secretary  of  war  to  the  unjustifiable 
course  he  pursued  in  this  affair.  But  some  knowledge  of  those 
events  of  the  war  in  which  he  bore  a  part,  with  a  little  insight 
into  human  nature,  wrould  suggest  that  the  leading  causes  which 
prompted  him,  were  the  envy  and  jealousy,  which  a  narrow- 
minded  man  would  naturally  teel,  on  contrasting  his  own  feeble 
efforts,  and  abortive  attempts,  with  the  consummate  skill,  the 
brilliant  victories,  and  the  almost  uniform  successes  of  another. 
That  he  had  acted  in  an  arbitrary  and  unwarrantable  manner, 
was  afterwards  clearly  proved.  And  in  the  investigation 

*  Dawson. 


26 

which  took  place  in  Congress  in  the  winter  of  1816-17,  it  be* 
came  so  evident  that  General  Harrison  had  been  treated  with 
great  injustice  by  the  war  department,  that  a  resolution  giving 
him  a  gold  medal  and  the  thanks  of  Congress,  was  passed,  with 
but  one  dissenting  voice  in  both  houses  of  Congress. 

The  leading  events  in  the  campaigns  of  1812-13,  the  gal 
lant  defence  of  Fort  Meigs,  and  the  decisive  victory  of  tlie 
Thames,  are  lasting  memorials  of  General  Harrison's  military 
genius.  Yet,  for  these  isolated  actions,  he  deserves  far  less 
praise  than  for  the  skilful  operations,  and  the  Fabian  policy, 
which  led  to  these  and  other  successes.  The  prudent  care  and 
indefatigable  exertions,  by  which  he  provided  for  his  army  in  a 
wild  and  devastated  country— the  promptness  and  unwearied 
activity,  with  which  he  met  and  defeated  the  schemes  of  his  an 
tagonists — and  the  admirable  skill,  with  which  he  held  in  check 
an  enemy  far  superior  in  numbers,  and  with  a  small  force  pro 
tected  an  extended  line  of  frontier,  and  guarded  the  lives  and 
property  of  thousands  of  his  fellow  citizens,  betokened  a  gen 
ius  of  the  highest  order,  with  a  vigorous  mind  constantly  on 
the  alert. 

Soon  after  his  resignation,  in  the  summer  of  1814,  Mr.  Mad 
ison  evinced  his  unabated  confidence  in  the  abilities  and  integ 
rity  of  General  Harrison,  by  appointing  him  to  treat  with  the 
Indians,  in  conjunction  with  his  old  companions  in  arms  Gov 
ernor  Shelby  and  General  Cass.  And  in  the  following  year, 
he  was  placed  at  the  head  of  another  commission,  appointed 
to  treat  wTith  the  northwestern  tribes.  The  advantageous 
treaties  made  in  both  these  cases,  afforded  new  instances  of 
the  unfailing  success,  that  has  always  attended  General  Har 
rison's  negotiations  with  the  Indians. 

In  1810,  he  was  elected,  by  a  large  majority,  a  member  of 
the  House  of  Representatives  in  Congress,  from  Ohio.  In 
this  station  he  served,  greatly  to  his  own  honor,  and  to  the: 
satisfaction  of  his  constituents,  until  1819  ;  when,  on  the  expi 
ration  of  his  term  of  service,  he  was  chosen  to  the  Senate  of 
the  State  Legislature. 

In  1824,  he  was  elected  a  Senator  of  the  United  States  from 
Ohio.  While  serving  in  this  high  station,  he  commanded  uni 
versal  respect.  His  views  as  a  statesman  were  liberal  and  ex 
tended, — his  remarkable  readiness  in  debate  soon  rendered  him 
a  prominent  member, — and  the  nervous  and  impassioned  e.k>~ 


27 

qucncc,  and  classical  felicity  of  illustration  with  which  he  en 
forced  his  arguments,  gained  him  much  influence. 

In  1828.  he  was  appointed  by  Mr.  Adams  Envoy  Extraor 
dinary  and  Minister  Plenipotentiary  to  the  Republic  of  Colom 
bia.  He  accepted  this  appointment,  and  repaired,  without 
delay,  to  the  scene  of  his  duties,  where  he  was  received  with 
every  demonstration  of  respect.  He  found  this  unhappy 
country  in  a  deplorable  condition — the  people  ignorant  of  their 
rights,  and  almost  in  a  state  of  anarchy,  and  Bolivar  apparent 
ly  about  to  assume  the  despotic  power  of  a  military  dictator. 
Shocked  at  this  state  of  things,  with  the  frankness  of  an  old 
soldier,  he  wrote  his  celebrated  letter  to  Bolivar,  from  which, 
as  we  have  not  space  for  the  whole  letter,  we  take  the  liberty 
of  quoting  the  following  extracts  : 

"I  contend,"  said  General  Harrison,  "that  the  strongest  of 
all  governments  is  that  which  is  most  free.  We  consider  that 
of  the  United  States  as  the  strongest,  precisely  because  it  is 
the  most  free.  It  possesses  the  faculties,  equally  to  protect  it 
self  from  foreign  force,  or  internal  convulsion.  In  both  it  has 
been  sufficiently  tried.  In  no  country  on  earth  would  an  armed 
opposition  to  the  laws  be  sooner  or  more  effectually  put  down. 
Not  so  much  from  the  terrors  of  the  guillotine  and  the  gibbet,, 
as  from  the  aroused  determination  of  the  nation,  exhibiting 
their  strength,  and  convincing  the  factious  that  their  cause  was 
hopeless."  *  *  *  * 

"In  bestowing  the  palm  of  merit,  the  world  has  become 
wiser  than  formerly.  The  successful  warrior  is  no  longer  re 
garded  as  entitled  to  the  first  place  in  the  temple  of  fame. — 
Talents  of  this  kind  have  become  too  common,  and  too  often 
used  for  mischievous  purposes,  to  be  regarded  as  they  once 
were.  In  this  enlightened  age,  the  mere  hero  of  the  field,  and 
the  successful  leader  of  armies,  may,  for  the  moment,  attract 
attention.  But  it  will  be  such  as  is  bestowed  on  the  passing 
meteor,  whose  blaze  is  no  longer  remembered,  when  it  is  no 
longer  seen/  To  be  esteemed  eminently  great,  it  is  necessary 
to  be  eminently  good.  The  qualities  of  the  hero  and  the  gen 
eral  must  be  devoted  to  the  advantage  of  mankind,  before  he 
will  be  permitted  to  assume  the  title  of  their  benefactor  ;  and 
the  station  which  he  will  hold  in  their  regard  and  affections 
will  depend,  not  upon  the  number  and  splendor  of  his  victo 
ries,  but  upon  the  results  and  the  use  he  may  make  of  the  in 
fluence  he  acquires  from  them." 


28 

"If  the  fame  of  our  Washington  depended  upon  his  military 
achievements,  would  the  common  consent  of  the  world  allow 
him  the  pre-eminence  he  possesses  ?  The  victories  at  Trenton, 
Monmouth,  and  York,  brilliant  as  they  were,  exhibiting  as  they 
certainly  did  the  highest  grade  of  military  talents,  are  scarcely 
thought  of.  The  source  of  the  veneration  and  esteem  which  is 
entertained  for  his  character,  by  every  description  of  politicians, 
the  monarchist  and  aristocrat,  as  well  as  the  republican,  is  to 
be  found  in  his  undeviating  and  exclusive  devotedness  to  the 
interest  of  his  country.  No  selfish  consideration  was  ever 
suffered  to  intrude  itself  into  his  mind.  For  his  country  he 
conquered  ;  and  the  unrivalled  and  increasing  prosperity  of 
that  country  is  constantly  adding  fresh  glory  to  his  name." 

We  regret  that  our  limits  will  not  permit  us  to  insert  the 
whole  of  this  vigorous  and  beautiful  production.  But  the  few 
passages  we  have  quoted,  contain  a  fair  specimen  of  the  noble 
sentiments  which  characterize  this  letter,  and  give  evidence  of 
the  pure  republican  principles,  which  have  ever  distinguished 
this  eminent  statesman. 

General  Harrison  remained  in  Colombia  but  a  short  time, 
having  been  recalled  by  General  Jackson,  soon  after  he  came 
into  power. 

Smce  his  return  from  this  mission,  he  has  lived  in  compara 
tive  retirement,  in  Ohio,  the  state  of  his  adoption.  With  the 
most  enticing  opportunities  of  accumulating  wealth,  during  his 
long  government  of  Indiana,  and  superintendency  of  Indian 
affairs,  he  acquired  none  ;  his  honest  and  scrupulous  integrity 
was  proof  against  the  golden  temptations.  His  time  and  best 
energies  were  devoted  to  the  service  of  his  country,  and  his 
own  interests  were  ever,  with  him,  a  secondary  consideration. 
He  therefore  retired  without  the  spoils  of  office,  and  with  on 
ly  a  competency  barely  sufficient  for  his  support ;  but  rich  in 
a  reputation  undimmed  by  a  single  tarnish,  and  in  the  honor 
and  respect  of  all  his  fellow  citizens. 

General  Harrison  is  now  sixty  six  years  of  age  ;  (about  six 
years  younger  than  President  Jackson  ;)  but  such  have  been 
the  activity  and  temperate  habits  of  his  past  life,  that  he  enjoys 
his  moral  and  physical  energies  in  remarkable  vigor.  In  per 
son  he  is  tall  and  thin ;  his  features  are  irregular,  but  his  eyes 
are  dark,  keen  and  penetrating  ;  his  forehead  is  expansive ;  his 
mouth  peculiarly  indicative  of  firmness  and  genius  ;  and  his 
countenance  is  highly  expressive  of  intelligence  and  benevo- 


29 

lonce.  His  manners  are  plain,  frank  and  unassuming,  and  his 
disposition  is  cheerful,  kind  and  generous,  almost  to  a  fault.  In 
his  private  intercourse,  he  is  beloved  and  esteemed  by  all  who 
know  him.  In  the  various  civil  and  military  offices  he  has 
held,  he  has  always  been  moderate  and  forbearing,  yet  firm 
and  true  to  his  trust.  No  other  commander  has  ever  been 
more  popular  with  our  militia,  and  the  true  secret  of  this  can 
not  be  better  explained  than  by  his  own  reply,  when  asked 
how  he  had  gained  his  influence  :  "By  treating  them"  said  he, 
"with  affection  and  kindness,  by  always  recollecting  that  they 
were  my  fellow  citizens,  whose  feelings  I  was  bound  to  respect; 
and  by  sharing  with  them,  on  every  occasion,  the  hardships 
which  they  were  obliged  to  undergo." 

Jn  the  republican  institutions  of  our  country,  birth  and  pa 
rentage  are  comparatively  of  very  little  impartance  ;  and  no 
candidate  for  public  favour  can  found  thereon  the  slightest 
claim  to  the  respect  or  support  of  his  fellow  citizens.  We 
have  happily  shaken  off  the  the  thralling  prejudices  of  the  old 
world,  and  a  title  to  office  and  honorable  distinction  is  not 
with  us  hereditary ;  but  every  man  must  earn  his  own  good 
name,  and  his  claim  to  the  favor  of  the  people,  by  his  own 
good  deeds.  Yet,  aware,  as  every  one  must  be,  of  the  power 
ful  influence  of  early  education,  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  as  well 
as  gratifying  to  know,  that  a  candidate  for  public  office,  in 
whom  we  feel  an  interest,  passed  all  the  early  years  of  his  life 
with  the  brightest  examples  constantly  before  him ;  and  under 
the  parental  tuition  of  one  of  those  illustrious  patriots,  whose 
memory  is  revered  by  every  true-hearted  American.  It  is 
pleasing  to  know,  that  his  first  political  sentiments  were  imbib 
ed  in  a  school  of  the  purest  republican  principles.  And  when 
we  trace  up  the  career  of  this  individual,  from  the  spring-time 
of  his  youth,  to  the  summer  of  his  manhood  and  to  the  early 
autumn  of  his  years,  and  see  those  principles  closely  adhered 
to  throughout,  we  can  scarcely  resist  the  conviction,  that  his 
future  course  will  be  consistent  with  the  past ;  and  that,  with 
matured  abilities,  he  will  be  still  more  conspicuous  for  his  re 
publican  principles,  his  moderation  in  office,  his  firm  integrity, 
and  his  extended  and  enlightened  views  as  a  statesman.  Such 
were  the  early  advantages  of  William  Henry  Harrison  ;  such 
has  been  his  course  thus  far  through  life  ;  and  such  is  now  the 
bright  promise,  to  a  realization  of  which  we  may  safely  look 
forward,  should  the  people  see  fit  to  place  him  in  office. 


30 

The  friends  of  General  Harrison  found  no  claim  on  his  mil 
itary  services.  His  own  sentiments  on  this  subject  we  have 
already  quoted ;  and  his  friends  would  scorn,  as  much  as  ho 
would,  any  attempt  to  dazzle  a  single  one  of  his  follow  citizens 
by  the  glory  of  his  military  renown,  brilliant  though  it  be.  They 
would  rather  point  to  his  numerous  civil  services,  in  the  forty 
years  he  has  devoted  to  his  country ;  to  the  various  and  im 
portant  offices  he  has  so  ably  filled — in  the  territorial  govern 
ments,  in  the  Legislature  of  his  own  state,  and  in  the  House  of 
Representatives  and  Senate  of  the  United  States  ;  and  to  the 
high  order  of  abilities  displayed  in  his  speeches  in  Congress,  in 
his  public  acts,  and  in  his  voluminous  public  correspondence. 
And  we  here  take  occasion  to  say,  that  all  his  letters  and  pub 
lic  papers  have  been  exclusively  written  by  himself;  and  that 
so  far  from  his  having  called  in  the  mental  aid  of  another,  to 
prepare  his  messages  and  despatches,  as  some  of  our  distin 
guished  men  have  condescended  to  do,  he  has  never  even  em 
ployed  an  amanuensis,  to  perform  the  manual  labor  of  his 
correspondence.  His  ruling  principles  through  life,  appear 
to  have  been,  an  ardent  love  for  his  country,  and  an  earnest 
desire  to  serve  her  best  interests  ;  with  a  devotion  to  the  pure 
republican  maxims  of  the  Revolution,  always  unwavering  and 
consistent :  unlike  the  schem'ng  politicians  of  a  more  modern 
school,  whose  o\vn  interest  is  the  polar  star  that  guides  them, 
whatever  may  betide  their  country. 

With  tried  patriotism,  with  abilities  of  the  highest  order, 
with  integrity  pure  as  the  unsullied  snow,  and  with  the  truest 
republican  principles,  William  Henry  Harrison  is  now  before 
his  fellow  citizens,  as  a  candidate  for  the  highest  office  in  their 
gift.  In  the  long  course  of  his  public  life,  he  has  always  been 
a  staunch  advocate  of  popular  rights,  and  is  therefore  truly 
the  candidate  of  the  people.  He  comes  before  them,  not 
with  a  crowd  of  pampered  and  still-grasping  officials  to  in 
trigue  and  bribe  for  him,  but  with  the  noble  frankness  of  an  hon 
orable  and  high  minded  man,  willing  and  desirous  to  be  judged 
impartially  by  his  fellow  citiz.ers,  arcl  rcndy  to  ab^de  by  their 
he-nest  decision. 


31 

GENERAL  HARRISON. 

At  the  la'te  enthusiastic  public  meeting  in  the  city  of  New- 
York,  to  respond  to  the  Ilarrisburg  nominations,  which  was 
attended  by  an  immense  concourse  of  people,  the  following 
appropriate  tribute  to  the  Civilian  and  Soldier,  HARRISON, 
was  read  to  the  meeting,  from  his  friend  and  neighbor  Na 
thaniel  G.  Pendleton  of  Ohio,  who  was  in  the  city,  but  pre 
vented  from  illness  from  attending  the  meeting.  Let  the 
Farmers  and  yeomanry  of  Connecticut  read  it. 

*    L/UFA'YETTE  PLACE,  N.  Y.  DeC.    12,   1830. 

I  regret  exceedingly  that  a  cold  which  confines  me  to  the 
house,  will  deprive  me  of  the  pleasure  of  meeting  the  Whigs  of 
New- York,  this  evening,  at  the  National  Hall ;  and  express 
ing  to  them  in  person,  the  gratification  with  which  the  Whigs 
of  Ohio  will  learn  of  the  enthusiasm  and  unanimity  with 
which  the  nomination  of  General  Harrison  has  been  received 
and  responded  to  here. 

General  Harrison's  life  from  the  early  age  of  nineteen,  has 
been  spent  ia  the  West,  then  a  vast  and  unbroken  wilderness  ; 
and  there  his  talents  and  services  are  known  and  appreciated. 
There  is  no  important  event  connected  with  its  early  history, 
or  subsequent  advancement,  with  which  his  name  has  not  been 
identified. 

At  the  age  of  nineteen  he  received  his  first  commission  from 
General  Washington;  he  was  aid-de-Camp  to  General  Wayne 
whoee  sagacity  in  discovering  military  talent  was  never  at 
fault.  After  five  or  six  year's  service  he  resigned  his  corn- 
mission,  and  was  appointed  Secretary  of  the  North  Western 
territory,  and  during  the  absence  of  General  St.  Clair,  which 
was  almost  continual,  he  acted  as  Governor.  From  this  same 
territory  in  1799  he  was  appointed  delegate  to  Congress,  and 
there  introduced  and  carried  through  a  law  for  the  sub-divis 
ion  of  the  public  lands,  by  reducing  the  surveys  from  4000  to 
1GO  acre  tracts.  This  law,  I  have  no  doubt,  has  made  more 
people  happy  than  any  other  single  act  of  any  other  public 
man,  as  it  placed  in  the  power  of  every  man  to  become,  a 
freeholder.  In  1801,  he  was  appointed  by  Mr.  Jefferson,  Go 
vernor  of  Indiana,  and  continued  in  that  office  till  1812,  when 
he  was  appointed  by  Mr.  Madison,  Maj.  General  in  the  army  of 
the  United  States.  After  two  years  service,  he  a  second  time 
resigned  his  commission.  After  the  war  he  represented  his 


32 

district  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  his  State  in  the 
Senate  of  the  United  States.  By  Mr.  Adams  he  was  appoint 
ed  Minister  to  Columbia;  since  that  period,  1829,  a  scientific 
and  practical  farmer,  he  has  resided  on  his  farm,  dependent  al 
together  upon  its  produce  for  the  support  and  education  of  a 
numerous  family. 

You  will  perceive  from  this  brief  sketch,  that  General  Har 
rison  is  now  in  his  67th  year,  and  that  of  those  about  eight, 
years  only  have  been  spent  in  the  camp.  Up  wards  of  thirty 
years  have  been  devoted  to  the  civil  service  of  his  country. — 
lie  has  frequently  been  elected  by  the  people  to  the  State 
Legislature  and  to  Congress,  and  has  received  important  public 
appointments  from  General  Washington,  Mr.  Jefferson,  Madi 
son  and  Adams,  certainly,  not  questionable  proof  of  merit  on 
his  part. 

Ills  habits  of  industry,  early  acquired,  are  still  retained. — 
The  sun  never  finds  him  in  bed.  His  rnind  is  active  as  his 
body ;  he  loses  no  time,  and  every  hour  not  employed  in  the 
active  duties  of  his  farm,  is  devoted  to  his  books. 

If  you  will  permit  an  intimate  friend  of  General  Harrison, 
who  knows  him  thoroughly,  and  acknowledges  his  attachment, 
to  be  a  disinterested  witness,  I  will  say  that  there  is  no  man 
in  our  country,  who  from  education,  experience,  information, 
and  temper,  is  better  qualified  usefully  to  discharge  the  high 
duties  of  President  of  the  United  States. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  yours,  &c. 

N.  G.  PENDLETON. 


f 


COI,.  RICHARD  OT.  JOHNSON'S  OPINION  OF 
GENERAL,  HARRISON. 

03-  "  Who  is  GENERAL  HARRISON  ?  The  son  of  one  of  the  sign! 
Fthe  Declaration  of  Independence,  who  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  laf 
fortune,  in  redeeming  the  pledge  he  then  gave,  of  his  <  fortune,  life,  and  sacl 
honor,' to  secure  the  liberties  of  his  country. 

"  Of  the  career  (} :  General  Harrison  I  need  not  speak— the  History  of  1 
West,  is  his  history.  For  forty  years  he  has  been  identified  with  its  interei 
its  perils,  and  its  hopes.  Universally  beloved  in  the  walks  of  peace,  and  | 
tinguisfaed  by  his  ability  in  the  councils  of  his  country,  he  has  been  yet  ml 
illustriously  distinguished  in  the  field. 

"During  the  late  war,  he  wag  longer  in  actual  service  than  any  other  G| 
eral  Officer ;  he  was  perhapg  oftener  in  action  than  any  one  of  them,  and  nel 
sustained  a  defeat." 

Col  Johnson's  Speech  in  Congress. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


— ~ 

j 


8    19TS  1  6 


rR  2  8  1935 


rcccinc  MAR"  n 


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LD  21A-50m-4,'59 
(A1724slO)476B 


General  Library 

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Berkeley 


GENERAL  LIBRARY  -  U.C.  BERKELEY 


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